Hydrotherapy Self Care PDF

HYDROTHERAPY SELF CARE  DEW WALKING Head out to your lawn first thing in the morning, get out of your shoes, slippers, sandals (and socks), and walk barefoot through the dew-drenched grass (start with warm feet). Just one or two minutes should be sufficient. When you are finish...

HYDROTHERAPY SELF CARE  DEW WALKING Head out to your lawn first thing in the morning, get out of your shoes, slippers, sandals (and socks), and walk barefoot through the dew-drenched grass (start with warm feet). Just one or two minutes should be sufficient. When you are finished, if you can, walk around barefoot on a deck or patio until your feet naturally dry. If you don't have somewhere to let your feet air-dry, then dry them off vigorously with a towel.  DEW WALKING The dew is quite cold and provides stimulation to the body via the feet. It is a wonderful way to wake up your entire system. Another benefit is that you are making direct contact with the earth---no socks or shoes. For those of us living in the city and generally living in a world that is slowly being paved over more and more each day this is a very important thing to do. Access to an "untreated" lawn Relieves mild arterial circulatory disorders, venous disturbances in the legs (varicose veins) and morning grumpiness by promoting blood circulation and strengthening the veins, muscles and immune system. CONTRAST SHOWERS (ALTERNATING HOT AND COLD) To help: - improve circulation - increase alertness and energy - improve cold and heat tolerance - reduce frequency or severity to cold and flu-like illness CONTRAST SHOWERS (ALTERNATING HOT AND COLD) Caution in: people with cold intolerance, e.g. cold hives, Raynaud’s disease or phenomenon Conditions worsened by cold, e.g. rheumatoid arthritis Tendency to dizziness Elderly or very young CONTRAST SHOWERS (ALTERNATING HOT AND COLD) Ratio: 3:1 or 4:1 of hot to cold e.g. 60 seconds hot, then 15-20 seconds of cold How to: Hot shower for 60-120 seconds Switch to cold for 15-40 seconds Repeat 3-5 times, ending on cold If dizzy, rest for 10-30 minutes until improved. In next iteration reduce intensity of hot and/or cold. COLD WATER TREADING Be used in place of dew-walking when the weather turns cold and snowy or, if you do not have a safe lawn to walk on. Fill your bathtub up to just above your ankles or just below your calves. Carefully get in the tub and holding on to a fixed bar or grip, march in the water for 5 seconds to 5 minutes. If you do not have anything secure to hold on to, sit at the edge of the bath and march while sitting for the same amount of time. This water should be about 50 degrees. If you do not have a tub then use a large bucket and do the same thing. Afterwards walk on a towel, to dry your feet or dry them vigorously with a towel. COLD WATER TREADING Both of these techniques are very stimulating and energizing. They increase circulation, and help build up resistance to infections. It is also a good technique for leg cramping or leg pain that comes from exertion. It is a wonderful little technique for someone who stands a great deal during the day. Do not use either technique if there is rheumatism of toes and/or ankles, sciatica, cystitis, pelvic inflammation, or irritable bowel. In The Complete Book of Water Healing, Dian Dincan Buchman recommends doing this every day of the year, in the morning and late afternoon. She says "I love cold water treading because it produces a feeling of euphoria and good health." She believes it to be "the most important of the PREVENTIVE water treatments because it builds up resistance to disease and slowly develops a physical vigor within the body."  DRY SKIN BRUSHING During the fall and winter we wear a lot more clothing and spend time inside heated environments that can be very drying. This can be very damaging to our skin. If we look at the function of the skin: external support of the body, regulation of body temperature, protection of the body and elimination of wastes, we can see why it is important to keep it healthy. One of the best and easiest ways to do this is with dry brushing. This is a technique that stimulates your skin and sloughs off dead skin cells. A skin massaging brush or a loofah is used for this technique. Standing in your bathtub start brushing from the feet upward. Your feet should be warm to begin with. If not, run some hot water over them until they feel warm. Begin with your right leg and include the buttock, then go to the left leg. Next do your abdomen, which is brushed clockwise. Then do figure 8s to your chest. Then do your right arm and your left. If you can, do your back to finish.  DRY SKIN BRUSHING This whole procedure should take about 3 to 5 minutes. It is most effective in the morning right before you take your shower. To remove all of the dead skin cells, it is suggested to start with a cool shower for about 1 minute and then to continue with your regular shower routine. As a caution only do this every 2 or 3 days, as the body may become dependent on this stimulus if done daily. It is great for the skin, bringing increased circulation to the surface and helping to keep the skin toned. Please give this a try and see if it does not leave you feeling quite invigorated. Loofahs and synthetic or real bristle brushes can be purchased at dollar stores, healthfood stores and drugstores. UNDERWATER BRUSH MASSAGE n Start this treatment by being in a hot bath. Once you have been in it for approximately five minutes start the underwater massage in the same order as noted in the dry brushing section above. n This massage should take about 5 minutes to complete. Then rest for another 5 to 10 minutes in the bath. n As is always suggested following a hot bath, finish the treatment with a cold shower or cold affusion. n The effects are the same as dry brushing but stronger and more intense due to the hydrostatic pressure of the bath water.  KNEE AFFUSION n This treatment can be done by itself or to end a hot bath or shower. If you have a stationary shower head you will have to acquire a hose to do this particular treatment. The calf is affused to just above the knee. n This treatment eliminates feelings of tiredness in the feet and legs. It helps tighten up the connective tissue of the legs. You can use it with varicose veins but not in the case of phlebitis or thrombosis. By its derivation effect it can decrease head congestion, tension headaches, migraine and cold symptoms presenting in the nose and throat. It is stimulating to the circulation.  KNEE AFFUSION n Procedure n Right foot ® over the toes over the side of the foot to the heel ® slowly up the calf to the popliteal fossa, lingering slightly above it and paying attention that the water is spread equally over the calf. n Repeat this on the left leg, but on reaching the left popliteal fossa ® the right popliteal fossa for a few moments ® the left popliteal fossa ® then to the calf ® then back down to the heel. n Front of the right lower leg, beginning at the toes ® up to above the kneecap. n Front of the left leg ® the right knee for a few moments ® the left knee ® down the left leg to the left heel. n AVOID directly affusing the tibia.  EPSOM SALT BATHS This type of bath releases toxins and metabolic waste through perspiration. It is really beneficial after a massage as it enhances and lengthens the effects of the massage. It is something you may want to suggest to your patients when you are in clinic. It is very stimulating and therefore people with high blood pressure and severe varicose veins should avoid it. Do not use any soap while in this bath. Let the salts do their job. Epsom salts: High magnesium content You can purchase epsom salts at promotes release of lactic acid, a principle waste product supermarkets, healthfood stores and of muscle tissue metabolism drugstores.  EPSOM SALT BATHS - Process Add two cups – 1 kg of salts to a hot bath (38 to 44 degrees C). Soak for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. While in the bath wrap a cool collar around your neck (use a hand towel for this dipped in cold water) and drink several glasses of fresh water to replace the lost fluids from your body. Keep a plastic pitcher and plastic glass beside the bath for this purpose. When finished let the water drain completely out of the tub, get up carefully, and cool your body down with Epsom salts: either a cool shower or a cold cloth/sponge bath starting in both cases High magnesium content from the feet up. promotes release of lactic acid, a principle waste product of muscle tissue metabolism Warming Socks You will need: 2 pairs of socks, 1 thin cotton, 1 thick wool Cold water Procedure: Drench thin cotton socks in cold water. Wring out as much water as possible. Put damp cotton socks on warm dry feet. Cover with thick wool (dry) socks. Go to bed and on waking feet will be warm and dry! When do you think this treatment might be useful and why? Hydrotherapy Week 6 Learning objectives Describe effects of hot, cold, neutral temperatures on the circulation Describe effect of contrast temperatures on the circulation Describe risks of hot and cold water treatments  Local applications Hot Cold Vasodilation Vasoconstriction Tissue relaxation Tissue tightening/toning Increased metabolism Reduced inflammatory Reduces pain* response Reduces pain* * Long application Whole body applications Hot Cold Vasodilation Vasoconstriction/vasodilation Warms tissues Cools tissues Tissue relaxation Tissue tightening/toning … and more … and more Neutral Approx 35-37 degrees C (95-98.6 degrees F) ‘Neither warm nor cold’ ‘Physiologic zero’ – minimal sensory input --> relaxation  Treatment duration makes a difference Short hot: up to 5 minutes Short cold: up to 1 minute Long Hot: > 5 minutes Long cold: >1 minute Neutral: duration important to modify intensity Risks – in general Hot Cold Fainting Cold intolerance Burns E.g. cold hives, rheumatoid arthritis, Raynaud’s Circulatory issues asthma Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus Hot and cold: elderly, children Contrast: the best of both worlds Contrast amplifies the effects of the hot treatment Increases blood flow to the area Can reduce pain Can increase energy Pumping effect In summary Hot, cold, and neutral can have local and whole body effects Heat relaxes, cold tightens and tones, neutral relaxes Contrast has amplified effects of hot application Risks differ by temperature, population, health status  Learning outcomes Describe why treatments are modified based on time instead of temperature Describe physiological effects of hot and cold Identify a local treatment that creates a distant response Heat absorption and release Evaporation and Melting = cooling (absorbs heat) Condensation and Freezing = warming (releases heat)  COLD vasoconstriction vasodilation vasoconstriction (intrinsic) (reactive) (intrinsic) HOT vasodilation vasostasis (intrinsic) (reactive) Application Effects on Character Effect on circulation metabolism Short hot Increased Intrinsic Increased (5 min) (vasostasis) Short cold Increased Reactive Increased (1 min) (vasoconstriction) *What is the concern with a long hot application?